SD31 DFL This Week
October 24, 2024
LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO GO!
FINAL DAY OF VOTING:
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5
- Greetings– Time to Get Out and VOTE!
- What you need to know to VOTE
- This week & Upcoming Events
- SD31 Monthly Meeting Info
- Candidate Campaign Links
- Neighborhood Network
- Links You can Use
Greetings, DFL Friends–
We are closing in on the final hours of this critical election. In the balance are not just the Presidency— but both houses of Congress and the Minnesota State House— and then there are all the local elections.
Have you voted already? Remember this set of questions (the famous questions of philosopher Hillel) as you make plans for late October and early November:
If I am not for myself, who will be?
If I am not for others, what am I?
If not now, when?
Loosely translated for the modern mind, this comes down to:
Look after yourself.
Take care of others.
Do it now.
Take care of yourself, take care of others, VOTE. And encourage others to vote as soon as they can. Turnout is now the most vital thing, and you are the next link in the chain.
So VOTE and then PASS IT ALONG!
Remember all of Trump’s promises to undermine the outcome of the election, to be a dictator, to disregard the constitution, to deport millions, to use the military against those who disagree with him. The rule of law, and our entire way of life, are at stake. Do everything you can to assure that we welcome Kamala Harris as our next President.
What You Need to Know to Vote
Vote by mail and early in-person voting is in progress now, and runs through Monday November 4th. Please consider voting early in case something comes up on the final day of voting, “Election Day,” Tuesday November 5th. Please share this information with your friends and family.
- To register or update your voter registration click HERE (Register or Update Registration)
- To view your sample ballot click HERE (Sample Ballot)
- To request your absentee ballot click HERE (Absentee Ballot)
- To find your polling place click HERE (Find Polling Place)
- Vote early by mail
- Vote early in person
- Vote from military or abroad
- Track your absentee ballot
– You can have an “agent” pick up and/or deliver your ballot.
– Mail-in ballots must be received by Election Day, so mail early.
– Details you need to know, including polling sites, can be accessed via this link:
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/
- Need more help? Call 1-877-600-8683 or your county election office
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THIS WEEK & Upcoming Events
SATURDAY OCTOBER 26
Neighborhood Network— FINAL RALLY of the YEAR!
See below for details…
MONDAY OCTOBER 28
Regular Anoka-Hennepin School Board Meeting
6:30 PM
Future Anoka-Hennepin School Board Meetings:
Work Sessions-– 5:30 pm Education Services Center, 2727 Ferry St, Anoka.
NEXT: 11/4, 11/23, 2/10/2025
Regular School Board Meetings-6:30 pm, Sandburg Ed. Center, Anoka 1902 2nd Ave.
NEXT: 10/28, 11/25, 12/9, 1/13/2025
Work Sessions allow for observation only but we need people to watch what is happening!
Major decisions are often made in these meetings, without a written record. We need observers to help keep the Board accountable, especially in this critical Budget period.
Every Saturday Morning— SD31 DFL Coffee Break 9-11 am
Starbucks in Andover Target, 2000 Bunker Lake Blvd
Next Dates: Oct 12, Oct 19, Oct 26
Join an Election Night Watch Party –
November 5th
Make sure you don’t spend election night alone. Plan to attend an election night party and share the evening with like minded DFLer’s.
** SD31 DFL / Betsy O’Berry Election Night Watch Party **
SD31 has joined with Betsy O’berry, County Commissioner candidate, for a watch party that evening at Aurelio’s Pizza. Aurelio’s has really been impacted by the construction on Highway 10 and they are extremely grateful that we are supporting them. Feel free to invite your friends and neighbors.
Date: Tuesday, November 5th
Time: Festivities start at 7:00pm
Location: Aurelio’s Pizza, 6415 US Hwy 10, Ramsey, MN 55303
And for those with close connections SD-35, another option is…
SD35 DFL Election Night Watch Party
SD35 DFL will be hosting an Election Night watch party at Alloy Brewing in Coon Rapids. Plan to attend and watch the election results come in for both National, State and local elections.
Date: Tuesday, November 5th
Time: Festivities start at 7:00pm
Location: Alloy Brewing Company, 2700 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN 55433
Coordinated Campaign Door Knocks and Phone Banking
This is a statewide DFL effort and does not directly affect SD31— but it is a great opportunity to help out in close races.
If you want to help with Door Knocking or Phone Banking, check out the Coordinated Campaign Office:
Coon Rapids Campaign Office, 1557 Coon Rapids Blvd., Coon Rapids, MN
DFL Rides to the Polls Program
If you are interested in volunteering as a driver, or you are out door knocking and a voter needs a ride, this is good information to know:
- Sign up for volunteer drivers: Volunteer drivers can sign up directly for a brief 30 minute training here, or call 651 251 6363 to sign up.
- Request a ride for voters: Voters should call our DFL Voter Protection Hotline at 1-833-335-8683 (1-833-DFL-VOTE) to request a ride. We are also working to have a survey question added to VAN Scripts for GOTV so that voters can request a ride at the doors, which we will then follow up with a daily phone bank. Finally, we are working to add a sign-up link on the DFL website, but our Hotline remains the best way to have a voter sign up for a ride.
- Contact: To request a copy of our interested parties memo, or if you have any other questions, contact Josh Koenig, Deputy Voter Protection Director, at jkoenig@dfl.org or 703 872 9714.
- Other: We are still recruiting for bilingual drivers and Hotline workers if you have interested volunteers who speak languages other than English fluently.
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SD31 DFL Monthly Gathering & Business Meeting
Our last monthly gathering was held on October 17.
Our Next SD31 DFL Meeting:
Thursday, November 21
6:00 pm Social / 6:30 pm call to order
Andover Community Center
NO MEETING IN DECEMBER, AND THERE WILL BE A NEW MEETING DAY STARTING IN JANUARY 2024— STAY TUNED!
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SD31 Candidate Campaigns
Gadisa Berkessa 31B
(Eastern Andover, Ham Lake, Oak Grove, East Bethel, Linwood, Athens)
https://gadisa4mn.com/
Dara Grimmer 31A
(Ramsey & Western Andover)
https://vote4grimmer.com/about
County Commission Races— Primary August 13
Betsy O’Berry— District 1: Anoka, Ramsey, Nowthen, St Francis
Mike Gamache— District 5: Andover, Coon Rapids, Oak Grove
https://www.reelectmike.com/
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NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK
Network Rally October 26- Saturday
Our LAST BIG EVENT before the Election!
9-11 AM
Starbucks inside Andover Target, 2000 Bunker Lake Blvd
There is still time to help turn the tide for this election.
You can help us put together and send out one mailing to our neighbors in October.
Come to our DFL Neighborhood Network Rally this Saturday!
Here is an update from NN Leader Charlie:
With 15 new sign ups this week from our 268 piece “Do Something” Letter sent out last weekend we now have 102 Networkers!
We are serving 22 precincts; 2528 homes with 5565 voters.
Our October 26 mailing has swollen to 2456 letters up from last month’s 1830 letters from 72 Networkers. Up 600 homes +30 new Networkers in one month!
Congrats to everyone involved!
Charlie
Donate Stamps to the NN…
Another great way to help is donating stamps—you can drop them off at the DFL Coffee Break.
If you want to find out more, email Charlie at
Outreach@VoteBlueMN.org
or call 763.200.1078.
If you would like to support our project financially here is the link:
https://secure.actblue.com/
Join us and share in all the good DFL energy!
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Links You Can Use
Keep checking our SD31 DFL Website: VoteBlueMN.org
Are You Sure You Are Registered to VOTE?
Check out this Common Cause site:
So you think “It Can’t Happen Here”?
Read this from Heather Cox Richardson:
“Imagine a would-be dictator setting out to persuade a sovereign people to vote away their rights…”
And here is Trump’s 2025 Takeover Strategy–
Read this from Thom Hartmann:
“From internment camps to abolishing free press—how Trump could make his worst threats real…”
League of Women Voters Candidate Forums
For Completed LWV Forum Recordings:
https://www.lwvmn.org/2024-
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HELP OUR HARRIS-WALZ SUPPORT WORK and TRUMP REMOVAL PROJECT— AND GET YOUR REFUND!
Contribute whatever you can to SD31 DFL–
This year we must get out the vote to defeat Trump and elect as many democrats as we can.
If you have not already done so, contribute to us and then GET A FULL REFUND for any amount up to $75 per person.
After donating at VoteBlueMN.org, just print and fill the following document and send it in with your receipt.
https://mcusercontent.com/
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Your SD31 DFL Leadership
Co-Chair: Alyson Gullette
Co-Chair: Leslie Pendergast
Secretary: Wes Volkenant
Treasurer: George Drew
Outreach Officer: Charlie Baarsch
Communications Director: Peter Miller
Email Updates and Submissions
Newsletters and other Emails from SD31 DFL will typically be sent out on Monday or Tuesday, but only if there is new information or announcements that need to be sent as reminders. And more often during the lead-up to the election. If you have an item to share, please submit it by noon on Friday to info@VoteBlueMN.org
We also welcome longer items for our website if you have articles, blogs, or letters that you would like to share! Check the site out at VoteBlueMN.org.
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Thank you to everyone who has been working so hard to make our communities, state, nation, and world better, and to turn us away from the threat of fascism and dictatorship.
Every action helps defeat the extremists, brings civility, sanity, and joy back into our lives, and helps build a more unified country where EVERYBODY COUNTS and No One is left behind.
Step by Step, Always Together, Always Forward…
DO IT NOW!
Peter
SD31 Communications
info@VoteBlueMN.org
Our Core Values: A Good Economy for Working Families; Fighting Hatred and Racism; Liberty and Justice for ALL— including Women’s rights and reproductive freedom; Taking care of our Home– the Earth
Our Moral Guideposts: Love Your Neighbor; Truth, Justice and Compassion; Non-Violence; Showing up to Do Your Part